When we architect a franchise system, we start with a profitable business and design a structure that allows for sustainable, scalable growth. A critical part of this design is determining how to support your franchisees effectively.
While there’s no universal formula, there are better and worse approaches to identifying your first, second, and third hires. To make these decisions strategically, begin by categorizing the work within your organization into four distinct groups:
Work you want to do — and are good at
These are the tasks you enjoy and excel at. Much of your early success likely came from leaning into this type of work. Keeping these responsibilities aligned with your core strengths ensures you remain highly effective as a leader.
Work you don’t want to do — and shouldn’t be doing
Every role comes with tasks that drain energy or fall outside someone’s natural skill set. These responsibilities should be handed off—either to a full-time team member or a fractional specialist. While you may not eliminate all of this work from your workflow, reducing it allows you to focus on high-value leadership functions.
Work that can be automated or supported by AI
Modern AI tools can significantly reduce workload when integrated properly. When leveraged strategically, AI improves efficiency, reduces costs, and enhances consistency in decision-making and communication.
Work that can be outsourced
Some functions are simply more efficient when outsourced. Outsourcing reduces overhead—including equipment, payroll-related costs, and downtime—while giving you access to specialized expertise on demand.
Be purposeful and strategic
A thoughtful succession plan keeps your business proactive rather than reactive. How you construct your team, where you apply your time, how you incorporate AI, and which outsourced partners you use all influence the strength of your franchise system. Documenting this strategy and reviewing it annually ensures your decisions continue to align with your growth objectives.
Building strategic support resources not only reduces friction but also increases your capacity to scale. A well-designed support structure becomes a competitive advantage in franchising.
A well-constructed strategy includes detailed plans on the product (or service), the financial considerations including cash flow, revenue targets and the supporting KPIs, the people (your team) and how to operationalize culture. The final two aspects require a strong succession plan, with less reactionary and strong purposeful plans to growing and supporting your team.
Succession beyond the founder
Finally, succession planning isn’t just about identifying who will one day replace you—it’s also about developing the next generation of leaders across your senior management team. Strengthening internal competencies increases operational resilience and enhances the overall valuation of your business when the time comes to exit.
